Singapore

PRIVATISATION activity may pick up this year as a result of attractive valuations after last year's sell-down and as businesses consolidate. Initial public offerings (IPOs) may also improve as deals delayed from last year due to market uncertainties kick back into gear in 2019.

Delisting volume far outweighed the new market capitalisation added to the bourse last year, according to data from Maybank Kim Eng. About US$17 billion exited the exchange, no doubt skewed by Global Logistic Properties' exit, which is still considered the largest private equity buyout of an Asian company.